Logging raft



g- 13, 1929- B. EROBERSON 1,724,422

LQGGING RAFT i-"ilea Feb. 20. 1928 2 Sheets-Shem l Inventor By WW itor ney 13, 1929- B. E. ROBERSON 22 LOGGING RAFT Filed Feb. 20, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor BM 61 Robe/"501 Attorney B WW Patented Aug. 13, 1929 UNITED sr F F! c LOGGING RAFT.

Application filed February 20, 1928. Serial No. 255,598.

My present invention relates to improve ments in logging rafts by means of which logs may be towed, or floated down stream, as a means of transportation. The primary object of the invention is the provision of means whereby the logs may be compactly arranged in tiers, one above another, and preferably with the longitudinal axes of the logs of succeeding tiers arranged at right angles.

Means are provided whereby the raft may be submerged beneath the surface to the desired depth to receive the first tier or base tier of the raft so that the logs of the tier may be floated into position, and then the raft may be again submerged for the second tier arranged in position at right angles to the logs of the first tier, and floated into position. Thus the raft is successively submerged to receive successive tiers that are floated into position until the desired number of tiers are in place, after which the submerging load, which has gradually been increased, is removed from the raft to permit it to rise to normal position with relation to the surface of the water. Preferably I use water as the submerging load for the raft, and the quantity of water is gradually added to receptacles that are carried by the raft, and after the raft has been completed the water-ballast is dispensed with, as are also the water receptacles or ballast containers removed from the raft for further use with the formation of succeeding rafts of II/Ty j invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts in the formation of the raft as will hereinafter be more fully set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention wherein the parts are combined and arranged according to the best mode I have thus far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention, but it will be understood that various alterations and changes may be made within the scope of my claims without departing from the principles of my invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a raft constructed according to my invention with tiers broken away for convenience of illustration Figure 2 is a view in elevation showing a raft in course of formation and illustrating a floating crane 0r derrick used for placing the water tanks in position and for removing them after the raft is completed.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the raft showing one of the pumps for filling a pair of tanks with water. 1

Figure 4: is a view of a portion of a raft showing in end elevation a supporting tower gr frame, a water tank, and the pump'there- Figure ,5 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of a raft showing particularly the tying cables for the tiers of logs.

In carrying out my inventionl preferably use a skeleton deck for the raft conveniently made up of timbers or logs 1 spaced apart and arranged parallel, and these timbers support transversely arranged beams, which may be metal I-beams as 2 having bolt holes 3 through their webs for the passage of U- bolts 4 that straddle'the timbers and are secured beneath the timbers by clamp plates or tie plates 5 and nuts 6 on the threaded ends of the bolts, thus forming a rigid deck or skeleton support for the succeeding tiers of logs L that form the log raft.

For gradually submerging the raft, step by step I preferably use water as a ballast or weight that is supplied to a number of tanks or receptacles 7 here shown as four cylinders that are supported in towers or frames 8 that are fashioned to receive and support the tanks. These tanks are each provided with eyebolts and links or cables 10 so that they maybe manipulated by means of a hoisting crane 11 on the barge or scow 12, and the floating crane is used to place the tanks in position on their towers or supporting frames. The frames or towers may be varied in height and the size of the tanks may also be varied in accordance with the size of the raft to be formed and the depth to which the floating raft will be submerged when completed.

Each tank is provided with a water inlet valve 13 and an outlet valve 14, and a pump- 15 isused for each pair of alined tanks, one pair being arranged at each side of the raft,

and a pump being located between the tanks of a pair. -The pump has a discharge pipe 16, filling branches 1'? and valves 18 by means of which the water may be supplied to the inlets of the tanks, as the size of the raft increases for the purpose of submerging the raft.

The skeleton raft is first submerged so that the first tier of logs L may be floated thereon and arranged in parallelism, transversely of the beams of the raft. This tier of logs is then secured by cables C anchored at one side of the raft and adapted to be wound taut by means of a winding drum 19 whose shaft 20 is rotated or revolved by suitable power mechanism'for winding the cables on the drum, and cable clamps 21 ,may be used for securing them in rigid, tight position with relation to the logs of the tier. The cables are of course laid on or disposed in such manner as to hold the logs of the tiers against displacement until the raft has reached its destination and is ready for dismantling.

After the first tier is placed in position, an additional quantity of water is added to the ballast tanks to sink or submerge the raft to desired depth to receive a succeeding tier of logs, and of course the weight of water is properly distributed in the various tanks and controlled by their valves to depress the raft on an even keel. vAfter each tier 1s laid on it is secured by means of the cables until the top or uppermost tier is in place to complete the raft.

After the raft is completed the excess weight of-the water in the tanks is removed by opening the outlet valves of the tanks,

and the completed raft rises in the water. The weight or load on the raft is further relieved by the removal of the tanks themselves, by means of the floating cranes or derricks, and the raft then rises to its normal, floating position, ready to be floated down stream, or to be towed to its destination. The empt tanks are again ready to be placed in position for the formation of a succeeding raft, and the tanks and floating derrick of course remain at the station as equipment for formation of other rafts.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a raft having spaced towers thereon, of removable tanks arranged in parallelism on said towers and provided with inlets and outlets, means on the tanks for use in removing them from the towers, and means on the raft for supplying water to the tanks as ballast.

2. The combination with a raft having 7 BILL E. ROBERSOBL 

